Answer:
Peacemaking and conflict prevention
With religion often perceived as being at the core of conflicts around the globe, evidence shows that religion and faith can be invaluable in promoting tolerance, respect, understanding and reconciliation. They represent a powerful positive force in the prevention, management and resolution of conflict.
To achieve sustainable peace and political stability, we need to promote a heightened awareness of religion’s peace-building and reconciliatory role, and build the capacity of governments, faith communities and businesses to work together. In 1992, for example, the Community of Sant’Egidio of Mozambique brought about an African peace agreement.
Values
Research shows that religion and faith can play a vital role in legitimizing societal values. World faiths represent global identities and the shared values that influence the way people live and act. A nuanced understanding of the living interconnection between religious and cultural values can help cast light on the dynamic ways in which religion both shapes and is shaped by society. According to our survey, a majority of the respondents believe faith can improve people’s values.
Anti-corruption
Attention has recently been givento the relationship between religion and corruption, based on the assumption that religious guidance and values can be important allies against corruption.
An individual’s own ethical and moral standards are shaped by his/her own religiosity, and while more research is needed to explore how religion influences people’s attitudes and behaviour towards corruption, there is evidence that faith and religious leaders should be integrated in the anti-corruption fight.
By comparing the Pew Research Center’s 2011 Government Restrictions on Religion Index with the 2011 Corruption Perceptions Index, one figure stands out: eight of the 10 most corrupt countries have high government restrictions on freedom of religions.
Business ethics
It is a commonly held belief that faith and spirituality introduce ethical values into the workplace and can impact business practices and the wider economy. The ethical ideas and moral systems that are part of many religious traditions can be applied in helpful ways to corporate and economic life, triggering new modes of behaviour, while proposing alternative perspectives to currently prevailing economic models. Islamic finance is a great example of a dynamic religious concept enhancing ethical practices in the finance sector. By focusing on the social responsibilities of financial institutions and individuals, it can be portrayed as a step towards the promotion of sustainability as a key element of economic growth.
